With two receivers already in the fold in Ohio State's 2012 recruiting class, the Buckeyes are hoping to land at least one, if not two, more and they would certainly like one of those to be Cincinnati (Ohio) Taft product Dwayne Stanford. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound prospect was able to put his talents on display on Sunday afternoon as Taft took on Friendship Collegiate Academy in a game that was televised on ESPNU. Taft rallied late, but ultimately fell to FCA by a final score of 12-6.

"I think that's our Achilles heel has been our slow starts," Stanford said. "We definitely came out slow. It's just something that we've got to work on. Coming out slow, that hurt us real bad versus a good team, we can't come out slow like that or they will put the nail in us and that's what they did."

In the game, Stanford had four catches for 56 yards and while he was disappointed his team couldn't pull things out, playing well against an outstanding opponent should serve as a good confidence builder moving forward.

"We definitely feel that nobody else on our schedule is probably that good so we should be pretty good the rest of the way," he said.

On the recruiting front, Stanford has narrowed his list down to six schools with three of those schools leading the way at the moment.

"Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Arizona State, USC, and Michigan," he said. "I guess you could say Ohio State, LSU, and Alabama are at the top of the list."

Ohio State is a program that has sort of fluctuated up and down on Stanford's list throughout the process but with the NCAA investigation winding down, the Buckeyes appear to be in pretty solid shape with the big receiver. A major reason for that is Stanford's comfort level with the coaching staff.

"Ohio State is high on the list because I have a great relationship with coach (Stan) Drayton," he said. "Me and coach (John) Peterson, the recruiting coordinator, have a great relationship as well as coach (Luke) Fickell. Ohio State is a big time program and I think whatever the NCAA says, they'll be OK."

Stanford hasn't scheduled any of his official visits yet but will likely take all five at some point during his senior season. So far, he knows three for sure that he will be scheduling and he hopes to do that in the very near future.

"This week I'm trying to setup official visits to LSU, Alabama, and Arizona State," he said.

At least a couple of Stanford's official visits will be taken with teammate and close friend, Adolphus Washington, as the two would like to try and play together at the next level and have similar offer lists.

"Alabama and Arizona State we will (take together) but he'll probably take his official visit to Michigan State instead of LSU," Stanford said.

Like Washington, Stanford said he's not sure if Ohio State will be one of his five official visits due to their proximity to his home. Stanford is hoping that he can take his official visits at some point in the next month and a half so that he can make a mid-season decision on his college future.

"I'm trying to decide in October," he said. "Late October (is the target area for a decision), I'm trying to get all of these officials out of the way so I can decide."

When that time comes, there are two major factors that Stanford says he will weigh.

"Playing time is always a big thing and somewhere that I can feel comfortable for the next four years," he said.